Russian father sentenced to two years in jail after daughter drew anti-war Ukraine drawing

Alexei Moskalev, 53, is being sought by police after being sentenced to two years in prison on Tuesday. The reason? He is credited with criticizing the Russian army on social media, an action that is punishable by prison in the Russia of Vladimir Putin. But her ordeal with this man began a year ago with an innocent drawing of his 13-year-old daughter against the war in Ukraine.

Moskalev stayed in house arrest since last March 1.

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According to BBC Mundo, on Tuesday he had to appear before the court of Yefremov to hear the verdict against him, but it did not arrive.

According to the court’s press secretary, Moskalev he escaped from house arrest and his whereabouts are unknown.

Single father, Alexei Moskalev lost contact with his daughter Masha Moskaleva, 13 years old, when was sent to a home for minors in March, at the start of the criminal case against the man.

How does the story start?

In April of last year, Mashaa sixth-grader of School Number 9 in the city of Yefremov, made a drawing against Russia’s war in Ukraine for the art course.

In the image that the girl, then 12 years old, drew, the Russian and Ukrainian flags can be seen. On the first is written the phrase “Not to the war” and about the second put “Glory to Ukraine”. Between both flags he put a woman with a girl and over both fly rockets that come from the Russian side. She stretches out her hand as if to stop the projectiles.

Masha MoskalevaMasha Moskaleva and her drawing against the war in Ukraine.

Masha’s teacher reported the drawing to the school principal, Who called the police. They took the girl out of class. The police and the guardianship service then met with her father.

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Masha and his father were also interrogated by the Russian secret service. FSB. After that, the girl refused to continue going to school out of fear.

“The police began to investigate the social networks of Alexey and they told him that he was raising his daughter badly ”, told BBC Mundo the councilor of Yefremov Olga Podolskaya.

For his part, Moskalev spoke to the independent Russian portal OVD-Info and told them about the visit from the authorities: “Look what you are teaching a child! Look what he drew,” she recalled being told. Then she defended her daughter: “What is special about it? She is against war, against bloodshed, what’s wrong with that?”.

The authorities opened an administrative case against him and fined him 32,000 rubles ($415) on charges of discredit the armed forces russian.

But the case did not end there. Before the end of 2022, father and daughter received another visit from the police.

“It was on December 30 at half past six in the morning,” he said. Alexei Moskalev in the interview with the OVD-Info portal.

“I wanted to go to work, I looked out the window, and I was surprised: three police cars were parked around my house, and two others were behind. In addition, there was a Catastrophe Protection vehicle. About twelve men from the FSB secret service and the police came directly to the entrance of our house, grinder in hand. It was immediately clear to me that they were coming towards us.” counted.

Moskalev He stated that the agents destroyed his house. They ripped clothes from closets, ripped pictures from the walls, and threw furniture. They also confiscated his savings, about $3,150. “Who pays you? Who do you work for?” they asked after finding the money. Finally, they hit his head against the wall and against the floor.

Alexei Moskalev in a Russian court. (Photo: AP).

Trial for discrediting the army

After the last visit of the FSB father and daughter tried to hide. But on March 1 of this year, the court opened a criminal case against Alexei Moskalev for his publications on the war, under the same accusation of discrediting the army, and put him in house arrest. He has always denied the charges and said his account must have been hacked.

BBC Mundo reported that later Masha was sent to a center for minors, without allowing both of them to communicateNot even by phone.

“No one has seen Masha since March 1,” Olga Podolskaya told BBC Mundo, “despite our attempts to access the juvenile center and find out how they are doing.”

The AFP agency explained that the case has aroused great outrage in Russia and it has become a symbol of repression against those who oppose the military operation launched by Putin over a year ago against Ukraine.

The girl could be sent to an orphanage

The AFP indicated that according to a person in charge of the press service of the court, Alexei Moskalev he fled the night before his sentence was read.

The man’s lawyer Vladimir Bilyenko, contacted by AFP, said he was very surprised by the leak. “I saw him yesterday, but he wasn’t there today,” he added.

Besides, Moskalev He has a trial pending for April 6 in which he risks losing custody of his daughter.

The lawyer said that Masha could be “sent to an orphanage in a month.”

The fear of talking about the war and the case

In Yefremovwith 37,000 inhabitants, there are traces of patriotic support for the military campaign in Ukrainebut residents are also shocked by the story of this father and his daughter, reports AFP.

in the streets of Yefremovfew dare to speak openly about the case of the girl or to comment on the military campaign: “Separating the father from his daughter is horrible. She only expressed a point of view,” Alexandra, a student, told AFP Agency.

A retiree who declined to give her name said her life had changed since February 24, 2022, the day Russian forces entered Ukraine.

“I am not accusing anyone. I see victims on both sides. I want this to end as soon as possible.”he expressed.

BBC Mundo reports that a few days ago the lawyer Vladimir Bilyenko visited the home for minors where he is Masha.

The director of the center told her that the girl had gone to a children’s cooking festival and gave her two drawings that Masha had made for her father and a letter.

The lawyer told a local channel that Masha had written the words: “Dad, you are my hero”.

Source: Elcomercio